Improved impeller-positioning device



June 14, 1932- J. A WINTROATH IMPROVED IMPELLER POSITIONING DEVICE Filed June 21, 1930 Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN' A. WINTROATH; F LOSI ANGEL'ES,

CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO WINTROATH IMPROVED :IMPELLER-POSITIONING DEVICE Application filed June 21, 1930. Serial No. 462,781.

pump installations, it has its Principal utility in deep well pump installations where the stretch in the-line shaft makes verydifiicult the adjustment ofthe shaft to bring the impellers into proper running'position. l i) During the'installation of a deep well pump the shaft rests on the bottom or against a suitable stop provided near: the lower end thereof: During the time that the'shaft is supported from its lower end'the impellers of the pump rest in. positions at-or'near the bottoms of their respective impeller chambers. After the pump structure is fully assembled. and installed,-a lifting, device, such as an adjustmentnut, at the upper end of the shaft is operated'to lift the shaft from the bottom and to likewise lift the impellers "which are secured to the shaft into their prop er positionsofoperation in their respective impeller chambers. In very deep settings suchas those ranging from 300'to 600 feet in depth, the stretch-in the line'shaft due to the suspendedweight thereofmakes it very diflicult to determine when the lower end of y the pump shaft and'the impellers have been lifted.

It is anobject of my invention to provide a means for indicating in a positive manner when the pump shaft has been raised within the pump proper" or pump element to a predetermined position,.thereby making it possible for the mechanic to note when'the stretch in the pump shaft has been entirely taken up and the lower end of the shaft and its impellers are being-lifted within the pump element.

A further object of my invention is to provide as an indicating means for the position of a pump shaft within a pump, a valve adapted to close a fluid passage which extends downwardly from an accessible point at the top of the well, and yieldable means between the valve and the lower part of the pump shaft for holding the valve closed when the pump shaft is below a predetermined posi tion.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a partly sectioned view showing a pump equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectioned view through the pump proper or pump element of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is an enlarged section through the valve means of the position indicating device shownin Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on a plane represented by the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical sectional view showing an alternative form of my invention.

In accordance with standard deep well pump practise, I show in Fig. 1 a well having a deep well pump 11 therein, this deep well pump consisting of a pump element 12 secured to the lower end of a discharge column or casing 13 which extends downwardly from a pump head 14, a shaft tube 15 extending downwardly within the discharge column 13, so as to include and protect a pump shaft 16 which extends from the pump head 14 to the pump element 12. and the motor 17 for rotating the shaft 16. For the purpose of adjusting the pump shaft 16 it is customary to provide an adjustment nut 18 on the upper end of the shaft 16, which nut 18 bears against a rotary part 20 which is supported on thrust bearings, not shown.

In Fig. 2 is shown the lower end 21 of the pump shaft 16, which shaft extends axially through the pump element 12, and rotates in bearings such as indicated at 22 and 23. In

5 Fig. 2 the impeller system of the pump element 12 is represented by a single impeller 24 which rotates within an impeller chamber 25, this impeller being shown in approximate ly its proper position of operation. The hearing 23, termed the bottom bearing of the pump, is carried in a tubular body 26 forming part of the intake casting 27 of the pump element 12. In my position indicating device I employ a body 30 adapted to be threaded at 31 into the lower end of the tubular member 26 This body is equipped with a valve means 32 having the construction clearly shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 3. a Referring to Fig. 3, the body 30 has a cylindrical recess 33 in its upperend, and in the bottom of the recess is formed a valve orifice 34, the upper end of which is encircled by a valve seat 35 adapted to receive a valve member or closure member in the form of a ball 36. Holes are drilled in the body 30 sons to provide passages 37 and 38 which communicate with a radial passage 39 which, as shown in Fig.2, extends to the outside of the member 27 where it, is connected to a pipe 41 which is carried on up through the well, as shown in Fig. 1, to the surface of the ground where it connects through a horizontal pipe 42 with an air receiver 43, a pressure gauge 44, and an oil reservoir 45. Between the extreme lower end or part 47 of the shaft 16 and the valve ball 36, a valve operating means is placed. This valve operating means 48 comprises a cylindrical body 50 having an inwardly projecting flange or stop 51 at its lower end and a plug 52 threaded into its upper end. Within the lower end of the body 50 is an engagement member 53 which is held against the stop 51' by a spring 54 which is placed under compression by securing the plug 52 into the upper end of the cylindrical body 50. The lower face of the engagement member 53 is provided with a depression or a pocket 55 which engages the upper face of the ball 36, and the weight of the entire. member 48 is thereby supported on the ball 36. The upper face of the plug 52 projects above the mouth of the recess 33 so as to be in a position of en gagement by the end part 47 of the shaft 16 when the shaft is in lowered position. During the assembling and installation of the pump structure 11 the shaft 16 is not supported from its upper end but is supported from its lower end by a collar 57 which engages a stop sleeve 58. The collar 57 is threaded on the shaft 16 as indicated at 60 so that it may be adjusted longitudinally on the shaft into such position that when it is in engagement with the stop 58 the runner or impeller 24 will be in a lowered position within the impeller chamber 25. At this same time the end part 47 of the shaft 16 will be in engagement with the plug and will force the plug 52 and the cylindrical member 50 downwardly so that the pressure of the spring 54- vvill be eX- erted against the ball 36, instead of against the stop 51. Therefore during the time the shaft 16 and the impeller 24 are in lowered position the ball 36 will be held in engagement with the seat 35 with a pressure determined and limited by the spring 54, thereby 5 closing the orifice 34 and preventing passage of the fluid therethrough. V

The invention is employed in the following manner.

After the pump structure 11 is completely assembled and before tightening up'of the adjustment nut 18 so as to lift the shaft 16, fluid, such as air, is allowed to enter the pipe 41 by opening a valve 61 disposed between the fluid container 43 and the pipe 42. The pressure within the piping 41, after the valve 61 has been again closed, will be indicated by the gauge 44, this pressure being maintained as long as the valve ball 36 is held against the seat 35 of the orifice 34by the spring 54 of the valve operating means. The pump installer then lifts the upper end of the shaft 16 by rotating the nut 18, first taking up the stretch in the shaft and finally raising the lower end 21 thereof. When the lower end of the shaft 16 has been raised to such an extent that the end part 47 moves upwardly and allows the cylindrical member 50 to rise to such an extent that thestop 51 engages the engagement member 53 so that the pressure of the spring 54 is applied to the stop 51 instead of to the ball 36, fluid may flow out through the orifice 34, causing an immediate reduction in the pressure indicated by the gauge 44, thereby denoting to the installer that the lower end 21 of the shaft 16 is in such position that the valve 36 may open. The installer, now knowing the exact position of the lower end 21 of the shaft 16 and the runner or'runners secured thereto may then raise the shaft by manipulation of the adjustment nut 18 to bring the impeller or impellers into proper operating position. The portion of the shaft extending below the impeller 24 may be of such length that when the valve 36 is permitted to open due to the raising of the shaft, the impeller will be a definite distance, say one-eighth of an inch, below its proper position for operation. If such is the condition the installer knows that after the valve 36 is permitted to open he must further raise the shaft 16 one-eighth of an inch to bring the impeller or impellers into proper position for operation within the pump element.

. After the pump shaft is properly adjusted in the foregoing manner, the piping 41 may be employed to deliver oil from the oil container 45 to the bottom bearing 23 of the pump element 12, this oil having sufficient hydrostatic; pressure to lift the valve ball 36 and the valve actuatingmeans'48, whereupon it may passiupwardly through vertical channels270in the side wall; of therecess 33 into the? space inclosedr by the lower end of the bottomrbearingx Although in the initial adjusting-ofthe pump itmaybe desirable to employ air under pressurein the piping 41 asafluid under pressure, the lubricant with which the piping 41 is subsequently filled may be employed as a: fluid under pressure for notingthe position ofthe lower end 21 of the pump shaft 16, the level of this lubricant in the container 45 or in theupper end of the piping 41' dropping when the valve 36 opens. The upper end of the piping 41 can thus in itself serve as a flow-indicating means, or the" container 45 or the pressure gauge 44 may be used for this purpose. In the appended claims the term flow-indicating means is limited to no single one of these means, nor is it limited-to a system in which liquid is used in the piping'41, for any flow of liquid or gas from the lower end of the piping will register on the gauge 44 or on other flow-indicating or pressure-indicating devices.

In-Figs. 2. and 3 I show resilient means for determining or limiting the pressure Which may be eXerted'a-gainst the valve member 36, thus avoiding all possibility of crushing the ball 3601" battering the seat 35 due to the weight of the shafting 16. Another resilient means for determining or limiting the pressure which may lie-exerted on the valve is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5. In this view I show the lower'end of the shaft 76 extending downwardly into a tubular wall 77 which is counterbored at 7 8' and is equipped with internal threads 80'at its lower'end for receivingaplug 81. In the counterbore 78 a cylindrical wall member 82 is forced toward the shoulder 83 at the upper end of the counterbore 78 by a spring 84. A cup washer 84' prevents leakageof fiuidupwardly around the movable wall'82. Through the wall 82 is a passage or orifice 85 adapted to be closed by valve member or ball 86, this ball 86 being guided by guides 87 andbeing in position for engagement by the lower end of the shaft 76, as shown. In Fig. 5' the movable wall 82 is shown depressed due to the fact that the shaft 76 has engaged the ball 86 and has forced same downwardly. A'passage 88 leading into the lower part of the counterbore 7 8 may be connected with piping, such asthe piping 41 shown in Figs. 1 a-nd2, in order that fluid may be forced under pressure into the chamber 90 below the movable wall 82, which fluid under pressure forces the wall 82 tightly into engagement with the ball 86 with a pressure proportionate to the pressure of the fluid in the chamber 90. The pressure exerted against the ball 86 is not controlled by the weight of the shaft'76 but is controlled by the pressure of'the fluid inthechamberQO; therefore,.by making movable the wall 82 through which the dischargeorifice 85 extends, I provide a yieldable means for determining thepressure which may be exerted against the valve 86.

Although I have herein shown a practical and operative embodiment of my invention, it is recognized that certain parts, elements, or mechanisms thereof are representative of other parts, elements, ormechanisms which may be employed in substantially the same manner to accomplish substantially equivalent results; therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedto the details of this disclosure but should be accorded the full scope of the following'claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pump structure having a pump shaft and a pump element containing said pump shaft, including: piping extending from an accessible point to said pump element; flow-indicating means for indicating at said accessible point when a How from the lower end of said piping takes place; a valve for closing the lower end of said piping and adapted when open to allowescape-of fluid pressure in said piping; and a valve closing structure yieldably associated with said pump shaft and positioned in said piunp element for closing said valve when saidpump shaft as below a predetermined position in said pump element.

2. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pump structure having a pump shaft and a pump element containing said pump shaft, including: piping extending from an accessible point to said pump element; flow-indicating means for indicating at said accessible point when a flow from the lower end of said piping takes place; a valve for closing the lower end of said piping; a valve closing member yieldably associated with said pump shaft forelosingsaid valve when said pump shaft is below a predeter- M mined positionin said pump element; and a stop for supporting said shaft when said shaft is below said predetermined position in said pump element.

3. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pump structure having a pump shaft and a'pump element containing said pump shaft, including: piping extending from an accessible point to said pump element; flow-indicating means for indicating at said accessible point when a flow from the lower end of said piping takes place; a valve disposed below the lower end of said pump shaft for closing the lower end of said pipassociated with the lower end of said pump shaft for closing said valve when said pump shaft is below a predetermined position in said pump element.

4. A position indicating device for use and a valve closing member yieldably with a deep well pump structure having a pump shaft and a pump element containing said pump shaft, including: piping e'xtending from an accessible point to said pump element; flow-indicating means for indicating at said accessible point when a flow from the lower end of'said piping takes place; a valve disposed below the lower end of said pump shaft for closing the lower end of said piping; a valve closing member yieldably associated with the lower end of said pump shaft for closing said valve when said pump shaft is below a predetermined position in said pump element; and a stop for supporting said shaft when said shaft is below said predetermined position in saidpump element.

5. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pump having a pump shaft and a bottom bearing sleeve for the pump shaft, including: a wall below the lower end of said shaft having a valve orifice therein; piping leading down from an accessible point to said orifice; flow-indicating means for indicating at said accessible point when a flow from the lower end of said piping takes place; a closure member for closing said orifice; and yieldable means between said closure member and said shaft adapted to transmit pressure from said shaft to said closure member.

6. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pump having a pump shaft including: a wall below the lower end of said shaft having a valve orifice therein; piping leading'down from an accessible point to said orifice; flow-indicating means for indicating at said accessible point when a flow from the lower end of said piping takes place; a closure member for closing said orifice; and a valve operating member between said closure member and thelower end of said shaft, comprising a body, an engagement part mounted on said body so as to move inwardly, there being a stop for limiting the outward movement of said engagement part relative to said body, and a spring carried by said body for forcing said engagement part outwardly against said stop.

7. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pump structurehaving a pump shaft and a pump element containing said pump shaft, including: a valve means in said pump element and maintained in a closed position by said pump shaft when said pump shaft is in a lowered position relative to said pump element; piping extending from an accessible point to said valve means for building up a pressure thereon when said shaft is in a lowered position, said valve means opening when said pump shaft is raised; flow-indicating means for indicating at said accessible point when a flow from the lower end of said piping takes place; and

-means. for limiting the downward pressure which said pump shaft can exert on said valve means to close same.

8. A posltion 1nd1cat1ng devlce for use with a deep well pump structure having a pump pump element and maintained in a closed position by said pump shaft when said pump shaft is in a. lowered position relative to said pump element; piping extending from an accessible point to said valve means for building up a pressure thereon when said shaft is in a lowered position, said valve means opening when said pump shaft is raised; flowindicatin'g means for indicating at said accessible point when a flow from the lower end of said pipingtakes place; and a resilient means acting between said pump shaft and said valve means. I

9. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pump structure having a pump shaft and a pump element containing said pump shaft, including walls defining a chamber below said shaft; supply means for supplying fluid under pressure to said chamber; flow-indicating means associated with said supply means and indicating when a flow through said supply means takes place; and a valve means including a seat member and a valve membervertically movable as a unit for a predetermined distance in said chamber and opening as a function of the relative positions of the bottom of said shaft and said valve means to allow flow therethrough from said chamber to indicate the position of the lower end of said shaft.

10. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pumpstructure having a pump shaft and a pump element containing said pump shaft, including: walls defining a chamber below said shaft; a member vertically movable in said chamber and providing an opening; stop means for limiting the vertical movement of said member; valve means closing said opening'and operated by the lower end of said shaft whereby the opening of said valve means is determinedby the relative position of said member and said lower end of said shaft; supply means for supplying a fluid to said chamber; and flowindicating means associated with said supply means and indicatingwhen a fiow through said supply means takes place.

11. A position indicating device for use with a deep well pump structure having a pump shaft and a pump element containing said pump shaft, including: a movable wall below said pump shaft and providing an opening; means for resiliently forcing said wall toward the lower end of said shaft, said wall moving under the influence of said means for a predetermined distance only; a valve member between said opening and said lower end of said shaftand adapted to close said 7 opening when said shaft is in a lowered position but to permit an escape of fluid through said opening When said shaft is moved up- Ward beyond apredetermined position; supply means for supplying fluid under pressure to said opening; and flow-indicating means associated with said supply means and indicating Whena flow through said supply means takes place.

12. A combination as defined in claim 11 including stop means for limiting the up Ward movement of said movable Wall.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 14th day of June, 1930.

JOHN A. WINTROATH. 

